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How Close to a Plane are the VLA Antennas?

-- | November 21, 2018

Question: I assume that if the VLA antenna mounts are in a mathematical plane it would be easier to compute the images and correlations. How close to a theoretical plans are the VLA antenna mounts?  — Louis

Answer: Correct, but small variations in the relative heights of the antennas along the array are correctable.  The height variations of the VLA antennas are within +-32m, which is well within the tolerable range for the frequencies that the VLA operates at.

Jeff Mangum